First time I saw this mill

ErikC · January 27, 2008, 02:36:16 AM

My friend recently aquired this mill. I think he said it was MDT. They are from spokane WA
Its all manual, and the head pivots so you can saw going each direction. We cut a couple cuts, it's pretty slick. Seems sturdy and well made.
This is the carriage

flip this lever. There's one one either side,
but they are conected together.

Turn, lock, and cut back the other way.
Takes about 2 seconds

sprucebunny · January 27, 2008, 07:28:10 AM

What a great idea !

Captain · January 27, 2008, 09:04:13 AM

Now that's some forward thinking...

Captain

Dan_Shade · January 27, 2008, 09:07:15 AM

does it really help you speed things up? I kinda figured that you could have gigged back by the time it got all swapped around. But i've been wrong before...

metalspinner · January 27, 2008, 09:09:03 AM

The longer the logs, the more time saved. I wonder how stiff the setup is after it'e locked down?

LOGDOG · January 27, 2008, 09:51:06 AM

Check this mill out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTCU2zNbqKM

It's similar technology only on steroids. Looks like it can really fly.

LOGDOG

Bibbyman · January 27, 2008, 10:05:34 AM

Quote from: Dan_Shade on January 27, 2008, 09:07:15 AM
does it really help you speed things up? I kinda figured that you could have gigged back by the time it got all swapped around. But i've been wrong before...

I seen one demoed at the Small Farm Show years ago. I talked to the guy putting on the demo. He was cutting logs about 8' long and just raising the head and coming back making another cut. I asked him why. He said it was quicker than running the head about another 4' past the end, turning it and then lowering it. He said on longer logs turning the head did show an improvement in speed.

Brad_S. · January 27, 2008, 10:33:52 AM

Quote from: ErikC on January 27, 2008, 02:36:16 AM
I think he said it was MDT.

It's MSG.
http://www.msgind.com/

ErikC · January 27, 2008, 10:55:42 AM

There was a 16' log on the mill, and I think it was faster than going back to lower. It literally takes about 2 seconds. The locking mechanism was solid and it seemed to lock down tight. That little visit yesterday was my only experience with one though. I'd never heard of 'em before that.

Erik

ErikC · January 27, 2008, 11:16:16 AM

Thanks for the correction Brad. No wonder I couldn't find it last night on google.

Erik

Dave Shepard · January 27, 2008, 11:16:45 AM

That is neat. I have seen pictures of them somewhere before. I am surprised nobody has developed the technology to have a band with teeth on both sides for the small mills that will cut both ways like the big mills.

Dave

happyj · January 27, 2008, 12:59:23 PM

I picked up thier dvd last year. I have not made it over to spokane to see one i was also wondering about how beefy it was. When i get over to see one i will post some more info.

Has anyone worked with one of these from alaska. I spoke with this gentleman last year as well and am going to see one when he ships one through seattle.
http://alaskabandsawmills.com/

beenthere · January 27, 2008, 01:49:49 PM

ErikC

That mill (the band that pivots) should be good for bevel siding.
I suspect if the adjustments are not right on, that beveled lumber might be No.1 problem.

LOGDOG · January 27, 2008, 02:44:37 PM

Dave,

LogMaster Mills have been running a 2" doublecut blade for years. Check it out: www.logmaster.com . I had one for a while. Not impressed.

LOGDOG

ErikC · January 27, 2008, 03:56:53 PM

He said it can be adjusted for beveled siding. I assume that means it could get out of adjustment as well. But at least you could correct it.

Erik

Norwiscutter · January 27, 2008, 09:08:02 PM

That mill logdog linked to is something out of Dr. Seuss book. Headrig, edger, firewood processor all in one. I already have a headache thinking of the maintainance...

LOGDOG · January 27, 2008, 10:00:54 PM

Makes me think of that saying: "Just because you can doesn't mean you should."

LOGDOG

thecfarm · January 28, 2008, 08:07:50 AM

I've seen that sawmill in Timberline.Never seen one up close.I would like to see some better metal used for the rails.That is none to big to me. But I guess it depends on how much it will be used and how big the logs are.

snowman · January 28, 2008, 10:16:58 AM

I've had one of these mills for 2 years now and am very happy with it. I'ts very well constructed, good welds, good paint, top of the line bearings etc. A far as the rotating head goes, I seldom use it except on logs over 16 feet or for bevel siding. I just made a mark in the paint for the sweet spot when blades perfectly dialed in and go back and forth from bevel to straight cut with little effort and it never comes out of adjustment.All and all a dang good setup.I'd put pics of it and the house I built for it but I can't seem to master the shrink thing. :D

Bibbyman · January 28, 2008, 12:03:55 PM

It kind of reminded me of a Woodland mill. The ones I've seen have a band headrig and cut on a slant. The slabs, flitches and boards fall onto conveyors and are dumped, edged or stacked. It's to be operated by one man. I seen a guy at a show running one and it looked like he was playing a pinball machine. He looked like a squirrel on caffeine!

thecfarm · January 28, 2008, 05:57:32 PM

snowman,are you using Xat.com to compress your pictures? If I can do it,anybody can.We will glady help you.Some kind soul helped me out with it.

Brad_S. · January 30, 2008, 10:04:44 PM

Speaking of mills that cut in both directions, have you seen this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTCU2zNbqKM

Gilman · January 31, 2008, 12:30:40 AM

Dejavu ;)

Brad_S. · January 31, 2008, 05:36:45 AM

OOPS! Sorry! :-[ How did I miss that first time around? That seems to be a common theme running through my life lately- missing the obvious. :

LOGDOG · January 31, 2008, 07:39:30 AM

It's ok Brad ...great minds think alike.

LOGDOG

abatol · February 06, 2008, 11:41:36 PM

LOGDOG are you against double cut band blades or were you just not impressed with that particular saw?

slowzuki · February 07, 2008, 08:34:45 AM

Select sawmills in Ontario make a double cut mill. Sanborn make a vertical bandsaw that absolutely rips! A Quebec company makes a small vertical mill that is supposed to work well too.

Ken

LOGDOG · February 07, 2008, 08:44:09 AM

Oh no Abatol ...not against double cut band blades by any means. I think Select makes a rockin' mill. I have a Sanborn down the road from me but they don't use it much. Actually I had to wonder if Sanborn was even still in business. If any of you guys have an active website link to Sanborn I'd be interested in seeing it. You have to understand that with the doublecut - whichever mill it is - the blade costs are much, much higher. Not to mention that the maintenance is more of a trick too. You're got teeth on the bottom edge that normally can sit down in the sharpener on a flat edge with regular bands. The wider the blade the faster the feed you can normally get but then you also have to have those blades rolled or flattened. It's just different from your regular DIY mills in the portable bandsaw realm. I had one manufacturer tell me "It's hard enough to get a bandsaw blade to run perfectly in one direction let alone two." There's a little truth in that.

In my case with the one I had, it was strictly a negative experience with the service end and immediate mechanical problems that caused me to send it back. Had that been different I'd still own it. I was really hoping it would have worked out better than it did.

LOGDOG

andybuildz · March 23, 2008, 05:18:20 PM

Got the MSG mill.... DVD in the mail Friday and watched most of it this morning. the swival head looked to be totally effortless. The adjustment to make bevel siding seemed effortless as well and was built right in. Prices seemed good.
The demo took place in his broom swept factory on what looked like a right off the press mill. I just wonder how they stand the test of time. MAde veneer effortlessly as well. Pretty cool mill but like i said....I wonder how durable they really are. Blade changes and torquing them up seemed as easy as it gets.
I'd love to hear from someone thats used one for a while. I couldn't find anything on Youtube with it.

snowman · March 23, 2008, 06:02:32 PM

Been useing mine 2 years pretty steady. Absaloutly no problems whatsoever. I'ts my 1st mill so I've nothing to compare it to but so far I'm very pleased.

Husband · March 26, 2008, 04:05:05 AM

I first saw the MSG at a show in North Carolina.
Bakers were looking at our mill along with the MSG for the first time.
Mike Mcnail and Ed Baker were trying to put the tracks together and needed my wife to show them how :D :D. This was back in about 1999, they have become smarter since ;)

The mill did go well, I liked the auto feed that you can put on it, set it up with 2 logs end to end and it can cut while you stack.

Just waiting for that call from Ed or Mike now!!!